TRAIN ROBBERS IN ARIZONA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10419, 17 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRAIN ROBBERS IN ARIZONA.

ONE SHOT. A BRAVE CONDUCTOR, Los Angelks, Cat., February 9,—The Santa Fβ overland train which was boarded by outlaws near Nelson, Ariz., last night, when one of tho robbers was killed by Express Messenger Alexander Summers, Arrived in this city only thirty minutes late this afternoon. It was well crowded with passengers, each of whom had his own tale of experience to relate. Messenger Summers, who has been in the employ of the company for ton years, described his exciting experience to a Call correspondent this afternoon. " As we slowed up," he said, " one of the robbers proceeded to uncouple the mail and baggage car from the balance of the train. Just then, Randal, my assistant, said that one of them could be seen from my car side door and remarked,' I can bringhim down. , I said,' Hold on, don't shoot; it may be a railroad man.' There are two doors on each side of the car. Randal went to the forward side-door to the left to get out, while I took tho one on the right, nearer tho rear and of the car. I opened it cautiously, and not seeing anyone, dropped down carefully to the ground and was going to crawl under the car and get on the brakebeam.

" The two care had been uncoupled and were moving along at this time. I am quite up to jumping brakebeama, and as the end of the car moved up to me I grasped hold oF the side rods, at the snmu time observing one of the robbers standing on the lower step of the same platform on the opposite aids. When I had drawn myself up I took good aim with my revolver and fired. He tumbled headlong off the step. He had in hie hand a small cut-off doublebarrelled gun and was looking forward at the time, endeavouring to get a bead on my helper, who was trying to get down on the opposite side. "Aβ soon as I tired I dropped ro the ground, and the engine and mail and express care moved away. I could see my man lying on the ground, but not knowing whether he wan dead or alive, I fired two more shots at his body. I then went up to him and found that he was Head. The first bullet had entered the back of the head, just above the left ear. I lifted his mask and came to the conclusion that he was a cowboy. I also found under his coat a bag, which was fastened around his waist. It contained several sticks of dynamite." Conductor Holmes made the following statement :— "The robbers corralled the watchman at Nelson, a station six miles east of the Springs, for four hours, waiting for No. 5 to come along. When the train showed up they made the watchman flag the engineer with a white light. Stopping the train the robbers compelled the fireman to set oat and out tbe mail and express car off. The train conductor, Rice, was in the sleepingcar with Conductor H. Bellman of the sleeper. Both went forward to see what the tremble was. They were ordered back. Conductor Bice had reached the ground, and was compelled to return, tbe brakeman running to the rear to flag, No. 5 following. " After the expreSß and baggage cars had been out off, the two messenger agents jumped from the express car. Agent Summers crawling under the car, hid on the truoke, Aβ the oar passed, the air brakes held, so the cars stopped. "Summers, getting out and stepping on the rear steps of the express car, saw the robbers, who had commanded the fireman to cut the train loose, step np on the opposite step. Taking hie revolver and steadying it on the chest on the rear platform, he fired, killing the leader of the gang. The cara commenced to move and Summers jumped "Tho robbers (there were two left) took the engine aud two oats, with the engineer and mail clerk itill on, and ran ten miles west, one guarding the engineer, and the other the mail agent. The engine was baoked up twice to see if the leader would show up, during the time the robbers ransacked the maU. They were at the work for two hours, taking all the registered letters. "The conductor got the shotgun, a revolver, eight sticks of dynamite, and a belt with eighty cartridges off tho dead robber. Then, with Ex preß9 Messenger Summers, the fireman and one other man, armed with what weapon* they could borrow from the pattengere, they went forward to find the entfne and cars, coming upon th«m two miles away. The robbers, teeing them coming, left the train and fled to the mountains. "Too much pfaiie cannot be given Messenger Summers, who is a brave man. By the killing of the leader, tb« train was Mwd, at the remaining two robber* had no djgttl* to blow opts (he Mh w omi."